KUALA LUMPUR: From Ratchanok Intanon to Kunlavut Vitidsarn, Thailand seems to have found the perfect formula in producing new badminton stars.
Here's their latest sensation, Pitchamon Opatniputh. At only 16, she has proved that it is not all about looks.
Closely following in the footsteps of her senior compatriots Ratchanok and Kunlavut, Pitchamon, who hails from Chiang Mai made her name when she bagged the World Junior Championships girls' singles title last month in the United States.
For the record, Ratchanok was only 14 when she won the world junior title in 2009.
She then went on to defend the title for two straight years, a feat that would later be emulated by Kunlavut, from 2017-2019.
Ratchanok and Kunlavut, made history for Thailand when they became the first Thai women's and men's singles players to win the World Championships, respectively in 2013 and 2023.
Pitchamon still has a long way to go, but the young shuttler, fondly known as Pink among badminton fans, is surely moving on the right track.
Following up to her impressive world junior feat, Pitchamon clinched her maiden World Tour title on Sunday when she came out tops at the Super 100 KL Masters here.
Speaking well beyond her age, a confident Pitchamon told Timesport that this is only the beginning to what may very well be a very exciting career.
"Winning this World Tour title means a lot to me. I also know that I can already play at the Super 300 and 500 level.
"I feel that it can only go up for me, and I want to try and go as far as I can, in my own way and time.
"Hopefully in the next three to four years, I will be able to match the world's bests," said Pitchamon, who will compete in the first round of the Korea Masters in Gwangju today.
Comparing her style of play to Ratchanok and Taiwan's world No 4 Tai Tzu Ying, Pitchamon also has another idol, world No 1 An Se Young of South Korea.
According to Pitchamon, who trains at the Kasemsak Badminton Academy, the South Korean was like an older sister to her.
"I've known her (Se Young) in the last five to six years. Back then the South Korean team came to train in Thailand and I got to speak to her a lot.
"She's a very nice person.
"I think we are the same. She won her first World Tour when she was 17, just one year older than I am."
For the Korea Masters this week, Pitchamon will open her campaign against seventh seed Netsuke Nidaira of Japan.
Other notable names in the bottom half of the draw are Pitchamon's compatriot and second seed, Supanida Katethong and Taiwan's fourth seed Pai Yu Po.
